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Itinerary for Oct 24 — Nov 2, 2014

Description: Elegance, comfort, security and personalized service are just some of the characteristics that make Hilton Colón Guayaquil, a real five-star city resort hotel. The splendid building is located only five minutes away from José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport and dominates the city's new booming commercial and financial zone in Ecuador. Our hotel is surrounded by the main shopping centers and offers easy access to the downtown district area.

Facility amenities: 294 fully renovated rooms
Five restaurants and two bars
Room service available 24-hours
Business center
Refurbished meeting rooms, congress, and convention facilities with capacity up to 1800 people
Renovated outdoor pool and fitness area with a health spa

Smoking policy: YesSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Description: Don’t let her accommodating public and private spaces, the posh quiet and rich collection of books in her Library, or the lavish observation space on her decks fool you — the National Geographic Endeavour is an expedition ship, designed for discovery and active exploration, not just passing-by. The National Geographic Endeavour heads out equipped with a fleet of Zodiacs, enabling us to make landfall in all the remote and riveting locations that beckon! We offer kayaking opportunities wherever possible and frequent walks or hikes.
We can set a pace for more demanding walkers and simultaneously provide a rewarding experience for strollers, too. There’s no age limit to our adventurous opportunities — anyone who feels fit and is interested is welcome to participate. And because navigation is an underlying theme, our “Open Bridge” policy will provide you with one of the more gratifying memories of the many you’ll make. The spontaneity and flexibility that characterizes our expedition style means there is literally something new to experience and enjoy daily.

Ship Information: Registry: Ecuador
Public Areas: Ship is fully air-conditioned. Covered deck with chairs and tables; Doctor's Office; Fitness Center; Global Gallery; LEXspa; Library; Lounge with full-service bar and facilities for films, slide shows and presentations; Sauna and small Swimming Pool.
Capacity: 96 guests
Meals: Served in single seatings with unassigned tables for an informal atmosphere and easy mingling. Menu is international with Ecuadorian flair.
Cabins: All cabins face outside with windows or portholes. Each has private facilities and climate controls.
Expedition Equipment: Glass-bottom boat, hydrophone, kayaks, snorkeling gear, Splash-Cam, underwater video camera, video microscope, and Zodiac landing craft.
Special Features: Guest internet access and laundry service. A ship's doctor, Undersea Specialist, and Video Chronicler are also onboard.
Wellness: The vessel is staffed by a Wellness Specialist and features an outdoor stretching area and a floating massage platform.

Fly Guayaquil to the Galapagos Islands / Board the National Geographic Endeavour

Breakfast: Early breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: After breakfast at the hotel this morning, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to the Galapagos Islands. Upon your arrival, you will immediately embark the National Geographic Endeavour. Your airline tickets for the flights between Ecuador and the Galápagos are issued in Ecuador. PLEASE NOTE: Please remember that on the flight between Guayaquil and Galápagos, your checked luggage may be weighed and cannot exceed 40 pounds (per person). This regulation is not always enforced, but you should be prepared. You may leave behind excess luggage at the Hotel Hilton Colon in Guayaquil. You can collect this luggage when you return to Guayaquil at the end of the voyage

Lunch: Lunch on board the ship.

Afternoon: You will have time for lunch and to settle into your cabins before arriving at your first stop, Cerro Brujo. You may choose to swim or snorkel from the lovely white sand beach, enjoy the first kayaking opportunity of the expedition or just stroll along the shore looking for marine iguanas and sea lions.

Description: Don’t let her accommodating public and private spaces, the posh quiet and rich collection of books in her Library, or the lavish observation space on her decks fool you — the National Geographic Endeavour is an expedition ship, designed for discovery and active exploration, not just passing-by. The National Geographic Endeavour heads out equipped with a fleet of Zodiacs, enabling us to make landfall in all the remote and riveting locations that beckon! We offer kayaking opportunities wherever possible and frequent walks or hikes.
We can set a pace for more demanding walkers and simultaneously provide a rewarding experience for strollers, too. There’s no age limit to our adventurous opportunities — anyone who feels fit and is interested is welcome to participate. And because navigation is an underlying theme, our “Open Bridge” policy will provide you with one of the more gratifying memories of the many you’ll make. The spontaneity and flexibility that characterizes our expedition style means there is literally something new to experience and enjoy daily.

Ship Information: Registry: Ecuador
Public Areas: Ship is fully air-conditioned. Covered deck with chairs and tables; Doctor's Office; Fitness Center; Global Gallery; LEXspa; Library; Lounge with full-service bar and facilities for films, slide shows and presentations; Sauna and small Swimming Pool.
Capacity: 96 guests
Meals: Served in single seatings with unassigned tables for an informal atmosphere and easy mingling. Menu is international with Ecuadorian flair.
Cabins: All cabins face outside with windows or portholes. Each has private facilities and climate controls.
Expedition Equipment: Glass-bottom boat, hydrophone, kayaks, snorkeling gear, Splash-Cam, underwater video camera, video microscope, and Zodiac landing craft.
Special Features: Guest internet access and laundry service. A ship's doctor, Undersea Specialist, and Video Chronicler are also onboard.
Wellness: The vessel is staffed by a Wellness Specialist and features an outdoor stretching area and a floating massage platform.

Morning: Although the itinerary is fixed, the activities in the Galapagos will be kept flexible, allowing you to take the best advantage of your time in the region. The following stops are planned for your voyage: Today you are scheduled to stop and Explore ESPANOLA: Española is home to Darwin’s finches, Hood mockingbirds, and blue-footed boobies. You’ll also see Española marine iguanas, which develop vivid green and red coloration from their food, coastal seaweed that blooms in iguana-mating season.

Description: Don’t let her accommodating public and private spaces, the posh quiet and rich collection of books in her Library, or the lavish observation space on her decks fool you — the National Geographic Endeavour is an expedition ship, designed for discovery and active exploration, not just passing-by. The National Geographic Endeavour heads out equipped with a fleet of Zodiacs, enabling us to make landfall in all the remote and riveting locations that beckon! We offer kayaking opportunities wherever possible and frequent walks or hikes.
We can set a pace for more demanding walkers and simultaneously provide a rewarding experience for strollers, too. There’s no age limit to our adventurous opportunities — anyone who feels fit and is interested is welcome to participate. And because navigation is an underlying theme, our “Open Bridge” policy will provide you with one of the more gratifying memories of the many you’ll make. The spontaneity and flexibility that characterizes our expedition style means there is literally something new to experience and enjoy daily.

Ship Information: Registry: Ecuador
Public Areas: Ship is fully air-conditioned. Covered deck with chairs and tables; Doctor's Office; Fitness Center; Global Gallery; LEXspa; Library; Lounge with full-service bar and facilities for films, slide shows and presentations; Sauna and small Swimming Pool.
Capacity: 96 guests
Meals: Served in single seatings with unassigned tables for an informal atmosphere and easy mingling. Menu is international with Ecuadorian flair.
Cabins: All cabins face outside with windows or portholes. Each has private facilities and climate controls.
Expedition Equipment: Glass-bottom boat, hydrophone, kayaks, snorkeling gear, Splash-Cam, underwater video camera, video microscope, and Zodiac landing craft.
Special Features: Guest internet access and laundry service. A ship's doctor, Undersea Specialist, and Video Chronicler are also onboard.
Wellness: The vessel is staffed by a Wellness Specialist and features an outdoor stretching area and a floating massage platform.

Morning: Although the itinerary is fixed, the activities in the Galapagos will be kept flexible, allowing you to take the best advantage of your time in the region. The following stops are planned for your voyage: Today you are scheduled to explore FLOREANA: Floreana's Champion Islet, just off the eastern shore of Floreana, is a wonderful snorkeling site and home to a large colony of sea lions. You may hike to a pristine white-sand beach, a favorite nesting site for sea turtles. You can take a zodiac ride to Post Office Bay – tradition states that if you find a letter there addressed to your hometown, you must take it home with you and hand-deliver it to its recipient.

Description: Don’t let her accommodating public and private spaces, the posh quiet and rich collection of books in her Library, or the lavish observation space on her decks fool you — the National Geographic Endeavour is an expedition ship, designed for discovery and active exploration, not just passing-by. The National Geographic Endeavour heads out equipped with a fleet of Zodiacs, enabling us to make landfall in all the remote and riveting locations that beckon! We offer kayaking opportunities wherever possible and frequent walks or hikes.
We can set a pace for more demanding walkers and simultaneously provide a rewarding experience for strollers, too. There’s no age limit to our adventurous opportunities — anyone who feels fit and is interested is welcome to participate. And because navigation is an underlying theme, our “Open Bridge” policy will provide you with one of the more gratifying memories of the many you’ll make. The spontaneity and flexibility that characterizes our expedition style means there is literally something new to experience and enjoy daily.

Ship Information: Registry: Ecuador
Public Areas: Ship is fully air-conditioned. Covered deck with chairs and tables; Doctor's Office; Fitness Center; Global Gallery; LEXspa; Library; Lounge with full-service bar and facilities for films, slide shows and presentations; Sauna and small Swimming Pool.
Capacity: 96 guests
Meals: Served in single seatings with unassigned tables for an informal atmosphere and easy mingling. Menu is international with Ecuadorian flair.
Cabins: All cabins face outside with windows or portholes. Each has private facilities and climate controls.
Expedition Equipment: Glass-bottom boat, hydrophone, kayaks, snorkeling gear, Splash-Cam, underwater video camera, video microscope, and Zodiac landing craft.
Special Features: Guest internet access and laundry service. A ship's doctor, Undersea Specialist, and Video Chronicler are also onboard.
Wellness: The vessel is staffed by a Wellness Specialist and features an outdoor stretching area and a floating massage platform.

Morning: Although the itinerary is fixed, the activities in the Galapagos will be kept flexible, allowing you to take the best advantage of your time in the region. The following stops are planned for your voyage: Today you are scheduled to explore Santa Cruz: Santa Cruz is home to the Charles Darwin Research Station and a highly successful captive breeding program for endangered species of Galápagos giant tortoises and land iguanas. You’ll learn about the science and conservation work undertaken in the islands. Later, you’ll travel into the lush highlands where wild tortoises forage, to explore some very different ecosystems to those encountered in the lowlands

Description: Don’t let her accommodating public and private spaces, the posh quiet and rich collection of books in her Library, or the lavish observation space on her decks fool you — the National Geographic Endeavour is an expedition ship, designed for discovery and active exploration, not just passing-by. The National Geographic Endeavour heads out equipped with a fleet of Zodiacs, enabling us to make landfall in all the remote and riveting locations that beckon! We offer kayaking opportunities wherever possible and frequent walks or hikes.
We can set a pace for more demanding walkers and simultaneously provide a rewarding experience for strollers, too. There’s no age limit to our adventurous opportunities — anyone who feels fit and is interested is welcome to participate. And because navigation is an underlying theme, our “Open Bridge” policy will provide you with one of the more gratifying memories of the many you’ll make. The spontaneity and flexibility that characterizes our expedition style means there is literally something new to experience and enjoy daily.

Ship Information: Registry: Ecuador
Public Areas: Ship is fully air-conditioned. Covered deck with chairs and tables; Doctor's Office; Fitness Center; Global Gallery; LEXspa; Library; Lounge with full-service bar and facilities for films, slide shows and presentations; Sauna and small Swimming Pool.
Capacity: 96 guests
Meals: Served in single seatings with unassigned tables for an informal atmosphere and easy mingling. Menu is international with Ecuadorian flair.
Cabins: All cabins face outside with windows or portholes. Each has private facilities and climate controls.
Expedition Equipment: Glass-bottom boat, hydrophone, kayaks, snorkeling gear, Splash-Cam, underwater video camera, video microscope, and Zodiac landing craft.
Special Features: Guest internet access and laundry service. A ship's doctor, Undersea Specialist, and Video Chronicler are also onboard.
Wellness: The vessel is staffed by a Wellness Specialist and features an outdoor stretching area and a floating massage platform.

Morning: Although the itinerary is fixed, the activities in the Galapagos will be kept flexible, allowing you to take the best advantage of your time in the region. The following stops are planned for your voyage: Today you are scheduled to explore SANTA CRUZ: Today you will hike through giant cactus and incense tree forests to reach Dragon Hill, the habitat of the colorful Santa Cruz land iguanas that have been brought back from the brink of extinction. Later you will have the opportunity to snorkel along the steep, invertebrate-coated walls of the islets of Guy Fawkes. You will learn about the ground-breaking research of scientists Peter and Rosemary Grant into Natural Selection among the finches of Daphne Major as the ship circumnavigates the famous islet.

Description: Don’t let her accommodating public and private spaces, the posh quiet and rich collection of books in her Library, or the lavish observation space on her decks fool you — the National Geographic Endeavour is an expedition ship, designed for discovery and active exploration, not just passing-by. The National Geographic Endeavour heads out equipped with a fleet of Zodiacs, enabling us to make landfall in all the remote and riveting locations that beckon! We offer kayaking opportunities wherever possible and frequent walks or hikes.
We can set a pace for more demanding walkers and simultaneously provide a rewarding experience for strollers, too. There’s no age limit to our adventurous opportunities — anyone who feels fit and is interested is welcome to participate. And because navigation is an underlying theme, our “Open Bridge” policy will provide you with one of the more gratifying memories of the many you’ll make. The spontaneity and flexibility that characterizes our expedition style means there is literally something new to experience and enjoy daily.

Ship Information: Registry: Ecuador
Public Areas: Ship is fully air-conditioned. Covered deck with chairs and tables; Doctor's Office; Fitness Center; Global Gallery; LEXspa; Library; Lounge with full-service bar and facilities for films, slide shows and presentations; Sauna and small Swimming Pool.
Capacity: 96 guests
Meals: Served in single seatings with unassigned tables for an informal atmosphere and easy mingling. Menu is international with Ecuadorian flair.
Cabins: All cabins face outside with windows or portholes. Each has private facilities and climate controls.
Expedition Equipment: Glass-bottom boat, hydrophone, kayaks, snorkeling gear, Splash-Cam, underwater video camera, video microscope, and Zodiac landing craft.
Special Features: Guest internet access and laundry service. A ship's doctor, Undersea Specialist, and Video Chronicler are also onboard.
Wellness: The vessel is staffed by a Wellness Specialist and features an outdoor stretching area and a floating massage platform.

Morning: Although the itinerary is fixed, the activities in the Galapagos will be kept flexible, allowing you to take the best advantage of our time in the region. The following stops are planned for your voyage: In the morning you are scheduled to stop in BARTOLOME: This morning you will visit Bartolomé, an enchanting landscape where lava, mangroves and golden sand converge. You will have the opportunity for an early morning hike to the summit of the cone, with stunning views of the famous Pinnacle Rock and the surrounding volcanic landscape. Later in the morning, you will enjoy some wonderful snorkeling from the beach, where you might encounter sea lions, small reef sharks and even Galápagos penguins

Lunch: Lunch on board the ship.

Afternoon: In the afternoon you will continue to explore some of the small islets just off the coast of Santiago Island, this time a small volcano called “Sombrero Chino”, due to its resemblance to a Chinese hat. The stark lava flows form tubes and caves that are an important nesting area for Galápagos penguins, and the waters bathing the shore are rich in fish life. Options include time ashore, deep-water snorkeling and Zodiac rides to take in the other-worldly landscapes

Description: Don’t let her accommodating public and private spaces, the posh quiet and rich collection of books in her Library, or the lavish observation space on her decks fool you — the National Geographic Endeavour is an expedition ship, designed for discovery and active exploration, not just passing-by. The National Geographic Endeavour heads out equipped with a fleet of Zodiacs, enabling us to make landfall in all the remote and riveting locations that beckon! We offer kayaking opportunities wherever possible and frequent walks or hikes.
We can set a pace for more demanding walkers and simultaneously provide a rewarding experience for strollers, too. There’s no age limit to our adventurous opportunities — anyone who feels fit and is interested is welcome to participate. And because navigation is an underlying theme, our “Open Bridge” policy will provide you with one of the more gratifying memories of the many you’ll make. The spontaneity and flexibility that characterizes our expedition style means there is literally something new to experience and enjoy daily.

Ship Information: Registry: Ecuador
Public Areas: Ship is fully air-conditioned. Covered deck with chairs and tables; Doctor's Office; Fitness Center; Global Gallery; LEXspa; Library; Lounge with full-service bar and facilities for films, slide shows and presentations; Sauna and small Swimming Pool.
Capacity: 96 guests
Meals: Served in single seatings with unassigned tables for an informal atmosphere and easy mingling. Menu is international with Ecuadorian flair.
Cabins: All cabins face outside with windows or portholes. Each has private facilities and climate controls.
Expedition Equipment: Glass-bottom boat, hydrophone, kayaks, snorkeling gear, Splash-Cam, underwater video camera, video microscope, and Zodiac landing craft.
Special Features: Guest internet access and laundry service. A ship's doctor, Undersea Specialist, and Video Chronicler are also onboard.
Wellness: The vessel is staffed by a Wellness Specialist and features an outdoor stretching area and a floating massage platform.

Morning: Although the itinerary is fixed, the activities in the Galapagos will be kept flexible, allowing you to take the best advantage of your time in the region. The following stops are planned for your voyage: This morning you are scheduled to stop and explore GENOVESA: On our last full day in the enchanted islands we visit Genovesa Island, the crown jewel of the archipelago. The National Geographic Endeavour sails into the caldera of Genovesa, known as “bird island”, where you’ll enjoy hikes among nesting colonies of swallow-tailed gulls, frigate birds, red-footed and Nazca boobies all while keeping a look out for hunting short-eared owls. You’ll ride Zodiacs and kayak along the base of the caldera wall, and snorkel among large schools of parrot fish and other tropical species.

Important information about your itinerary: Please know that while we do everything we can to finalize all aspects of our programs well in advance, there are logistics that occasionally must be altered. Our website will reflect the most recent information, and we are committed to providing you with final program details no later than eight weeks prior to the start of programs outside the U.S. and three weeks prior to the start of programs within the U.S. If you ever have questions about your program, please don't hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to assist you.

Need Help?

The latest in light, portable, easy-to-use QUIETVOX listening devices are available on Road Scholar programs.* Whether you are outdoors, in a crowd or in a museum environment where speaking loudly is discouraged, a listening device makes it feel like our experts are speaking clearly and directly to you. Hear for yourself on a Road Scholar adventure!

*Please note that due to the nature of some programs, the remote location or government regulations, listening devices may not be available. If you’d like to know for sure if your program will offer listening devices, just call and ask an Advisor!